The vehicle identification number (VIN) is composed of 17 characters (digits and capital letters) that act as a unique identifier for the vehicle. A VIN displays the car's unique features, specifications and manufacturer.
The VIN can be found in a couple of places including on the car's registration label (1), on the compliance plate in the engine bay (2) or on the passenger side windshield (3), or on one of the door posts (where the door latches when it is closed) (4). See the image below:
There are many reasons people run a VIN number lookup.
If you’re a mechanic, you want to make sure you know exactly what model of car and engine you’re working with and which parts and equipment to order.
If you’re a car dealer, you need to ensure the vehicle is authentic and know its specs from back to front. If you’re looking to buy a used car, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting value for money and have a comprehensive understanding of the condition, usage, and financial history of the vehicle in order to compare it to other similar cars on the market and make a safe purchase.
Whether you’re hoping to buy privately or through a car dealer, using CarHistory is a great way to get the necessary information you need to be able to assess whether the price, condition, age and integrity or authenticity of the car you’re interested in is both fair and a good investment.
Also known as a PPSR vehicle check or REVS check, a VIN number search is a simple way for you to get an idea of the manufacturer and sale history of your prospective car, understand its usage, and find out if it has any major repairs or modifications. You can also check the rego and its insurance.
We’ve made running a PPSR VIN check easy. Because the process is 100% online, you can run a VIN lookup Australia or check rego QLD from anywhere, any time using any internet-connected device.
Absolutely! A VIN number lookup will provide you with all the core specifications of your vehicle. You can find car models by VIN and learn information about your car’s country of origin, the factory where it was produced, the year it was manufactured, the airbag support structures, engine size, and transmission type.
A VIN identifier is unique to each vehicle. This legal protocol was introduced to the car industry in the 1980s and was designed to protect consumers both with regards to making a car purchase or sale and keeping them physically safe. For example, a car info VIN can be used to easily identify and recall certain vehicle models that have been found to suffer engine manufacturing issues or have faulty airbags.
Whether you want to buy or sell, you can use our VIN number lookup to check your vehicle specs in just a few short minutes.
Running a VIN number lookup is easy! But first, you’ll need to find your engine VIN number. You can locate the VIN on a car’s rego certificate or sticker, insurance documentation, on the compliance plate in the engine bay, on the passenger-side windshield, or on one of the doorposts (where the door latches when it is closed).
Once you’ve found the VIN, simply pop it into the VIN checker on our website. From there, you can select the type of VIN number lookup you’re after.
We offer two types: a standard report and a comprehensive CarHistory report. Our standard VIN decoder report provides core vehicle specifications as well as information on whether a vehicle has ever been stolen and details on previous and current rego and insurance. It also utilises the PPSR (Personal Property Securities Register) to determine whether a car is under security interest, i.e., it has an existing loan or debt arrangement against it.
Knowing if a car is currently under finance is a key part of the risk assessment you must make when buying a used car. If a previous owner has outstanding finance against your car and fails to settle that debt, the vehicle can be repossessed at any time – regardless of who the current owner is.
For this alone, using a VIN decoder is well worthwhile. When you complete a VIN number lookup with us, the finance status against the vehicle will be verified in the form of an official PPSR certificate issued by the government.
If you’re feeling apprehensive about the car or seller and would like to know more about the history of the vehicle you’re interested in, we also offer a comprehensive CarHistory report. This report gives you access to all the identification information provided in the standard report, along with more extensive information about things like:
Once you’ve decided what type of VIN number lookup you’d like, simply complete the necessary payment and contact details (required for delivery of the report).
You’ll get an easy-to-read PDF report in your inbox within minutes to provide you with the information and peace of mind needed regarding your car purchase.